Recently, I visited my son, Jack. Actually, I went to help him out. Jack decided to put up new wallpaper and asked for my assistance. Naturally, I couldn’t refuse my son’s request.
I took some time off work and traveled to Jack’s place, which is about 150 miles away. I arrived on a Wednesday, giving us a few days to complete the task. We were confident we’d finish it on time.
On the first day, we papered one room, and the next day we tackled another. Then one evening, the phone rang. Jack answered and said:
“Yeah, come over! Great! I’d be thrilled to see you all! Meet my new friends! They’re bringing food themselves!”
I asked, “Who are they?”
“Guests! Five people! And we need to finish wallpapering before they get here.”
I was stunned: “Jack! What guests?! We have no food! There’s only an omelette in the fridge, and it’s not enough for everyone!”
“Don’t worry, Dad! It’ll be fine! The guests are bringing the food! All we need to do is set out the plates and make some tea.”
I was surprised. I was used to something different; when inviting guests, you’d buy groceries and cook plenty of food. But Jack explained that things are different now.
We had enough time to finish the wallpapering, take a shower, and get ready. Soon, Jack’s guests started arriving. Each one brought two dishes. Someone brought beef stew and dumplings, another brought potato salad and pies, someone else brought grilled chicken and salad. Jack simply put on the kettle and set out honey and sugar. He had already bought disposable plates for the occasion.
The spread was lavish. Everyone enjoyed the meal, then we had tea. Later, one woman started singing, and we all joined in. The evening was cheerful, family-oriented, and touching.
Afterwards, each guest took their dishes home, and the guests left. Jack and I only had to wash the cups and spoons, as the plates were just thrown away. It took no more than ten minutes.
I asked Jack who came up with this idea. He explained: “We used to host guests the traditional way, like you said. But it’s such a hassle and expensive. So, we discussed it with friends and decided we’d take turns hosting, with everyone bringing two dishes each time. The host just has to provide plates and tea. We started meeting like this, really enjoyed it, and now it’s our regular thing!”
I loved the idea. I shared it with my friends and acquaintances. However, they didn’t seem too keen. Too bad!
They even refused to give it a try. It’s a pity, as I think it’s a great idea.
